Laundry container



y 1957 c. E. HEWSON LAUNDRY CONTAINER Filed Aug. 15, 1955 Zar/E fil 11% I flu/5e! 1/0? v I21: war/74y LAUNDRY CONTAENER Carl E. Hevvson, Marshfield, l'rass.

Application August 15, 1955, Serial No. 528,181

3 Claims. (Cl. 141-364) The present invention relates to a laundry container adapted to be used in connection with an automatic washing machine having a port opening at the top or side.

The modern automatically operated washing machines have a limited capacity and must not be overloaded with laundry. Otherwise there is a substantial possibility that the operating motor will be harmed or the machine will not operate at its maximum efficiency. Additionally, the use :of these machines in self-service laundries has created the need for a convenient laundry measuring device.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a container to receive laundry which will measure a proper amount of laundry for deposit in an automatic washing machine of the type having a port opening at the top or side.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a container for depositing laundry into a laundry machine of the type mentioned with a minimum of effort and with little possibility that the clothes will fall outside of the machine as they are being deposited.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a container for deposit of clothes into a laundry machine of the type described which is easy and efiicient to operate and which minimizes the effort required by the operator to deposit the laundry into the machine.

These and other objects of the present invention will be more clearly understood when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation of the invention, and

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the invention just after it has been Withdrawn from the port of the laundry machine.

This container is formed of a cylindrical tube 1, made preferably of a non-rusting metal. The upper end 2, of this tube is open and the lower end has an inwardly extending flange 3, formed all around the edge. This flange 3, supports the bottom a, which closes the lower end of the tube 1. The bottom element 4 may slide freely up and down the container and may also be provided with a handle element 5, shaped so as not to occupy a great deal of space. The diameter of the container should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the washing machine port so as to enable to mouth of the container to be fitted within the circular port.

The length of this container should be such as to contain the correct amount of clothes loosely piled for a single washing for the particular laundry machine for which this container is to be used. A short distance down from the upper edge of the cylinder 1, is positioned an outwardly extending flange 6 preferably extending all around the wall of the container. This flange should be sufliciently large to extend beyond the side walls of the port in the particular washing machine for which this container is designed.

Thus clothing to be washed is first placed in the com 2,792,857 Patented May El, 1957 tainer until it is full. The operator then places the container with the upper end 2 in the port 7 of a laundry machine 8, with the upper ends of the side walls 1 of the cylinder fitting within the port and with the flange 6 extending beyond the port and holding the container from slipping into the machine. The operator may then re move the clothing by pushing down on the piston-like bottom element 4 until all the clothing has been forced into the Washing machine. The piston-like bottom 4 may then be pulled back into place and the container used again for a subsequent load.

One principal application and advantage of this invention is found in its use in semi self-service laundry operation. in this type of operation, there is usually a limited number of machines for the customers use, causing substantial delays in customer service. By providing a large quantity of the containers of the present invention customers may immediately deposit their laundry and at the same time sort it among several containers to their own liking. Thus, the customer will not be delayed and have to wait for an open laundry machine, and the laundry operator will not be burdened and become responsible for proper sorting of the clothes.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A laundry container for use in combination with a washing machine having a circular port through which laundry may be inserted comprising a cylinder having open ends and with one end adapted to fit into said port, a bottom plate freely slideable normal to the axis of and within said cylinder, means at the other end of the cylinder for preventing the bottom from falling out of the said other end and a flange secured to the outside of the cylinder adjacent the said one end for engaging the sides of the port and preventing more than the one end from passing through the port.

2. In combination with a laundry washing machine having a circular port, a cylindrically shaped laundry container having an outer diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the port, a bottom freely slideable within and normal to the axis of said cylinder, inwardly extending flange means formed at one end of the cylinder to support said bottom, said cylinder being open at its other end, and outwardly extending flange means formed on the outside of the cylinder near the other end and extending beyond the edge of said port when the said other end is inserted into the port.

3. In combination with a laundry machine having a port through which laundry to be washed is introduced to the interior of the machine; a laundry container comprising a cylindrical wall, an inwardly extending flange formed on one end of the cylindrical wall, a plate movable axially within the cylindrical wall and supported on the flange forming a bottom for the container, a handle formed on the plate facilitating moving the plate axially within the cylindrical wall, the other end of said cylindrical wall fitting into the port of the machine and being open the full diameter or the cylindrical wall, and a flange extending outwardly from the cylindrical wall adjacent the other end and engaging the side of the port for supporting the cylindrical wall on the machine when the said other end is inserted into the port.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,595,889 Stevens Aug. 10, 1926 2,090,111 Creveling Aug. 17, 1937 2,430,718 Jacobson Nov. 11, 1947 2,653,746 MacDonald Sept. 29, 1953 2,690,080 Rich Sept. 28, 19 54 

